In this lesson, you will go through connecting to the Allen Bradley Micrologix PLC through the Ethernet port using Ethernet devices driver.

The Allen Bradley RsLinx Ethernet devices driver is not plug and play like the Ethernet/IP driver. You must configure the IP Addresses you wish RsLinx to look for devices on. The main reason you would need this driver is if something is blocking the Ethernet/IP broadcast packets from the RsLogix 500 - Configuring RsLinx Ethernet/IP Driver to Communicate lesson.

Even if you successfully connected with the Ethernet/IP driver in the previous lesson, still take the time to go through this lesson. If you ever connect to a PLC remotely across the internet or are connected to a more involve network then many times the broadcast packets that the Ethernet/IP driver depend on will be blocked.

1. From your menu at the top of RsLinx go to Communications > Configure Drivers…

2. Under “Available Drive Type” select “Ethernet Devices” and click “Add New.” The default name for the device is “AB_ETH-1.” If you wish to change it you may do so now and click “OK”.

3. Now you will see the “Station Mapping" dialog come up.

4. Enter the IP Address of your device and click “OK”.

5. From your menu at the top of RsLinx go to Communications > RsWho. Look at the pane to the left, find your “ABETH-1” driver, and select it. In a few moments you should now see your device in the right pane.